Wall structure for hospital rooms

ABSTRACT

The disclosure herein describes a wall structure for the quick mounting and dismounting of hospital operating rooms, which includes a plurality of adjacent panel units, a series of vertical posts disposed between successive panel units for securing the units thereto, fastening means for connecting the panel units to the vertical posts, anchoring means for securing the posts to the floor and ceiling structures of the room and resilient plinth means defining a longitudinal channel of Ushaped cross-section receiving therein the outer lower marginal edges of the sheets and the lower part of the vertical posts. The resiliency in the plinth means causes the opposite upstanding walls of the channel to be inwardly urged so that, after the panel units have been inserted in the plinth channel, an abutting pressure is exerted on these lower marginal edges of the sheets. The panel units consist of a pair of sheets arranged in spaced relationship forming between them a chamber in which is received a hardened foam plastic material; top, bottom and side spacing elements disposed between the inner marginal edges of the sheets extend completely around the periphery thereof to maintain the sheets in spaced relationship.

Elite ttes atet [191 [111 3,924,374

Vnlper [4 Dec. 9, 1975 [54] WALL STRUCTURE FOR HOSPITAL Primary Examiner-Price C. Faw, Jr.

ROOMS Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Cushman, Darby &

Cushman [75] Inventor: Jean Volper, Chomedey, Canada [73] Assignee: Millet Roux & Cie., Ltee., Laval, [57] ABSTRACT Canada The disclosure herein describes a wall structure for [22] Filed: June 7, 1974 the quick mounting and dismounting of hospital operating rooms, which includes a plurality of adjacent [211 App! 477518 panel units, a series of vertical posts disposed between successive panel units for securing the units thereto, [52] U.S. Cl 52/243; 52/281 fastening means r n ng h pa units to the [51] Int. Cl. E0411 3/08; E04B 2/76 vertical posts, anchoring means for securing the posts [58] Field of Search 52/243, 241, 122, 238, to the floor and ceiling structures of the room and re- 52/281 495 496 584 615 620 silient plinth means defining a longitudinal channel of U-shaped cross-section receiving therein the outer [56] References Cit d lower marginal edges of the sheets and the lower part UNITED STATES PATENTS of the vertical posts. The resiliency in the plinth means causes the opposite upstanding walls of the channel to 2/1962 Fowles et al 52/241 X be inwardly urged so that, after the panel units have /l962 Young 52/241 b d h h h l b 3,035,669 5/1962 Graff 52/241 eenfnserte m t e P mt C anne, a ttmg Pres 3,039,569 6/1962 Bohnsack.... 52/241 sure 18 exerted on these lower margmal edges of the 3,160,280 12 1964 B r 52/241 X sheets. The panel units consist of a pair of sheets ar- 3,175,652 3/1965 Brekell et al. 52/496 X ranged in spaced relationship forming between them a 3,209,501 10/1965 Hohl 52/620 X chamber in which is received a hardened foam plastic i322 fillssellim 52796 X material; top, bottom and side spacing elements disimme 52 620 X 3,339,324 9/1967 Stackhouse 52/241 posed between the Inner margmal edges of the sheets III/1111111,

extend completely around the periphery thereof to maintain the sheets in spaced relationship.

US. Patent Dec. 9 1975 Sheet 2 of2 3,924,374

WALL STRUCTURE FOR HOSPITAL ROOMS FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a wall structure especially adapted for the quick mounting and dismounting of hospital operating rooms.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In recent years, the space in most standard operating rooms has been shrinking. While it is essential that patients benefit fully from all advanced medical developments, hospitals have had to acquire for their operating rooms all kinds of modern devices, such as electrosurgery units, suction equipment, various monitors, and so on. Within an operating room of fixed space, proliferation of technical equipment is a form of pollution. Access to various zones, and the free flow of traffic within them becomes increasingly difficult. Added equipment, mobile or fixed, occupies vital space to the possible detriment of the also essential physical and mental comforts of the operating team. The importance of having operating rooms which are not fixed is therefore self-evident and it becomes essential to have prefabricated wall structures which are easily assembled on site and which are constituted by components that are flexible, adaptable and interchangeable. In this way, the operating room can be quickly and easily modified in part or in whole, the moment the need arises.

STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a wall structure especially adapted for hospital operating rooms which enable a quick mounting and dismounting to meet the current requirement of hospital operating rooms.

It is another object of this invention to provide a wall structure of the class described which is made of modular and flexible components thereby making it possible to avoid the problem of operating room clutter by substituting present walls with new walls thereby making it also possible to plan on location the layout of an entire surgical suite.

The present invention therefore relates to a new type of mobile wall structure especially adapted for hospital operating rooms which comprises the following components: a plurality of adjacent panel units; a series of vertical posts disposed between successive panel units and fixed to the ceiling and floor structures of the operating room; fastening means for securing the panel units to the vertical posts; anchoring means for securing the posts to the floor and ceiling structures; and resilient plinth means defining a longitudinal channel of U- shaped cross-section receiving the lower outer marginal edges of the sheets and the lower part of the vertical posts. An important feature of the present invention is that the resiliency of the plinth means is such that the upstanding walls of its U-shaped channel are inwardly urged toward one another so that, after the panel units are received in the channel, there is an abutting pressure exerted by the walls on the outer marginal edges of the sheets. The panel units consist of a pair of sheets of aseptic rigid material arranged in spaced relationship so as to form a chamber therebetween wherein a hardened foam plastic material is received; top, bottom and side spacing elements are disposed between the inner marginal edges of the sheets and extend completely around the periphery thereof to maintain the sheets in.

spaced relationship.

The mounting of the wall structure is carried out by anchoring the vertical posts to the ceiling and floor structures and then securing the panel units to the vertical posts. The panels are therefore not anchored to the floor or ceiling structures of the operating room. The dismounting is similarly easy and quick allowing a complete new lay-out or the simple replacement of one module by another in which there may be premounted some technical units which previously clustered the room, such as X-ray film illuminators, electro-surgery units, suction bottles, oxygen and vacuum connections, physiological monitors and other units. As can be seen any wall panel can be modified with the least possible delay due to the interchangeability of the components.

One advantage of the present system is that it is possible to keep pace as economically as possible with the evolving medical techniques. These flexible installations can be quickly and easily adapted to changing needs and they avoid sinking vast irrecoverable sums in structures which cannot easily be changed.

Another advantage of the present invention is that renovation, expansion and modernization and standard operating rooms can now follow these changes. With a wall structure according to the present invention, an operating room can be taken down at any time, transported and rebuilt elsewhere cleanly and quickly leaving its former location clean and free of polluting debris. There is no wrecking, no tearing up of the structure, no clouds of contagious dust, no malodorous smell of paint, etc.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other objects, purposes and characteristic features of the present invention will be in part obvious from the accompanying drawings, and in part pointed out as the description of the invention progresses. In describing the invention in detail, references will be made to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic layout in plan view of an operating room embodying a wall structure in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken horizontally through two adjacent side panel units;

FIG. 3 is a perspective end view of a side spacing element of a panel unit and is shown on the sheet of drawings illustrating FIGS. 5-7;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of a panel unit in the wall structure made in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of a vertical post used in the wall structure of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the vertical post shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the resilient plinth means used in the wall structure of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT There is illustrated in FIG. 1 a schematic representation in plan view of a hospital operating room 10, in the center of which is set an operating table 12. The operating room 10 is shown constituted by four sides l3, l4, l5 and 16, having differing representation to thereby illustrate various typesof wall structure possible with the present invention.

The wall structure of side 13, for example, includes three adjacent panel units 18. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4, the construction of such a panel unit will be described. Each panel unit 18 includes a pair of sheets 20 and 21 arranged in spaced relationship so as to form a chamber 22 therebetween; these sheets are made of aseptic rigid material, such as steel sheets covered with vinyl. A series of top, bottom and side spacing elements 24, 26, 25, 27, respectively, are disposed between the inner marginal edges of the sheets 20 and 21 and extend completely around the periphery thereof to maintain the sheets in spaced relationship. These spacing elements are elongated U-shaped members, each having its open side facing outwardly and the opposite back side facing the chamber 22. Each side spacing element 25, 27 has a' longitudinal groove 28 extending lengthwise thereof and defined by two spaced flange walls 30 and 32, the opposing faces 30a and 32a of which are provided with longitudinally extending corrugations (see FIG. 3), the function of which will hereinafter be described in connection with fastening means. Preferably, space 33 of the U-shaped channel 25, 27 which is outside groove 28 may be filled with a material 29 to prevent any air circulation between one side of the wall structure to the other side when mounted; such material may be neoprene.

Chamber 22 is filled with a synthetic resin foamed material, such as foamed polyurethane; the method of making foamed panels is well known and will not be described in detail; suffice to say that foamable polyurethane liquid is usually poured in several pouring holes (not shown) provided in one of the spacing elements. The liquid distributes uniformly inside the chamber with sufficient foaming pressure and then the foamed plastic material is hard set to provide a rigid mass of unicellular foamed plastic.

Referring to FIGS. 2, and 6, the wall structure further includes a series of vertical hollow posts 34 disposed between adjacent panel units 18. Each post 34 defines a U-shaped channel with a closed rear side 36, an opposite front open side 38, and two facing side walls 40 and 42. Each side wall 40, 42 terminates frontwardly with an inwardly turned flange 41, 43 respectively. Side walls 40 and 42 cover the open side of the U-shaped channel of the side spacing elements 25, 27 of two successive panel units 18. Side walls 40 and 42 are provided with a series of holes 45 longitudinally and vertically spaced therealong. Threaded fastening means 47 extend through these holes 45 and are engagedly received in the corrugated groove 28 thereby fixedly securing the panel units 18 to the vertical posts 34.

A pair of cover plates 49 and 50 extends respectively over the closed rear side 36 and the front open side 38, respectively, of each vertical post 34. These cover plates are also made of an aseptic rigid material and thereby serve to bridge the sheets of the panel units at the vertical posts. One way of affixing these cover plates to the wall structure is shown consisting of four adhesive covered blocks 51, 52, 53 and 54 which are respectively affixed to the rear side 36 of the posts and to the front flanges 41 and 43 thereof. I

The vertical posts 34 are anchored to the floor structure 56 of the room and to the ceiling structure 58 thereof; a false ceiling 60 shown in FIG. 5 hides the an- 4 choring connection of the upper part of the vertical post with the ceiling structure.

The anchor connection of the lower part of the vertical post 34 to the floor structure 56 is constituted by a base plate 62 integral with the post and by appropriate fastening means 64, such as a lag screw with lead shield. The anchoring means of the upper part of the vertical post to the ceiling structure are made adjustable to take the various height differences between the posts and the ceiling. A plate 66 is fixed to the ceiling structure 58 while a bracket 68 interconnects plate 66 to the upper part of the vertical post; the adjustment is carried by positioning a bolt 72 in a slot provided in bracket 68.

Referring to FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, the wall structure further includes a plinth 74 of resilient material, such as rubber or vinyl, which is U-shaped in cross-section and which is constituted by a transversely convex bottom wall 76 and two upstanding elongated vertical walls 78 and 80. The particular shape of the plinth is an important feature of the present invention in that pressure exerted in the U-shaped channel on the convex bottom wall results in an inwardly directed force by the walls 78 and 80. The inner face of the bottom wall 76 includes a recess 82 to receive therein an elongated metallic plate 84 which extends longitudinally of the entire plinth 74.

To mount a wall structure in accordance with the present invention, the layout is set and the plinthes 74 are placed in the pre-de termined contour of the room. The metallic bars 84 are then positioned inside the channels of the plinthes and then the vertical posts are received at their given location inside the plinth channels. The lower portions of the vertical posts are fixed to the floor structure 56 and the upper parts are anchored by adjustably positioning brackets 68 to the vertical posts and by securing them to the ceiling structure 58. The lower marginal edges of the panel units are received between the side walls 78 and of the plinthes. As explained above, the resiliency in the plinthes and the weight of the panel unit of the bottom wall 76 results in an abutting pressure by walls 78 and 80 on the lower marginal edges of the sheets 20 and 21. Then, the fastening means 47 are received through holes 45 and in groove 28 thereby securing the panels to the posts. Cover plates 49 and 50 are affixed to the posts. The room is thus easily and quickly mounted.

Referring to FIG. 1, side 15 of the operating room is shown including panels which are basically constructed as panels 18 but which may be equipped with special technical equipment therein. Also, there may be provided rooms with two parallel wall structures such as illustrated by sides 14 and 16 of the room which are positioned on either side of the building column 86. As shown in FIG. 2, a door stopper 88 may be fixed to one side of a vertical post 34.

Although the invention as described in relation to one specific form, it will be evident to the man skilled in the art that it may be refined and modified in various ways. It is therefore wished to have it understood that the present invention is not limited in interpretation except by the terms of the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. A wall structure especially adapted for hospital operating rooms comprising:

a. a plurality of adjacent panel units, each unit including:

i. a pair of sheets of rigid material arranged in spaced relationship so as to form a chamber therebetween;

ii. top, bottom and side spacing elements disposed between the inner marginal edges of the sheets and extending completely around the periphery thereof to maintain the sheets in spaced relationship; each said side spacing element defining a U-shaped opened channel having centrally therein a longitudinal groove defined by a pair of spaced flange walls extending lengthwise of said channel, the opposing faces of said flange walls having thereon lengthwise corrugations;

iii. a hardened foam plastic material received in said chamber;

b. a series of vertical posts disposed between successive panel units for securing said units thereto, each said post defining a U-shaped opened channel with the opposite side walls thereof in covering arrangements over the respective open sides of the U- shaped channels of the side spacing elements of two adjacent panel units, said side walls having a series of holes vertically spaced therealong;

c. fastening means extending through said holes and engagedly received in said groove for securing said panel units to said vertical posts;

d. first anchoring means for securing said posts to the floor structure of said rooms and second anchoring means for securing said posts to the ceiling structure of said rooms;

e. resilient plinth means defining a longitudinal channel of U-shaped cross-section receiving therein the outer lower marginal edges of said sheets and the lower part of said vertical posts; the U-shaped channel of said resilient plinth means including a central recess in the bottom wall thereof; a longitudinal bar received in said recess; said first anchoring means further securing said bar and said resilient plinth means to the floor structure of the room; said resilient plinth means including opposite upstanding walls inwardly urged toward each other due to the resiliency therein thereby providing an abutting pressure on said outer lower marginal edges of said sheets when received between said upstanding walls.

2. A wall structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said top and bottom spacing elements define U-shaped opened channels, the open side of which facing respectively the ceiling and floor structures of said rooms.

3. A wall structure as defined in claim 1, further comprising a pair of elongated cover plates extending over the open side and the opposite side thereto of said vertical posts so as to bridge said sheets over said vertical posts.

4. A wall structure as defined in claim 3, wherein the material of said sheets and said cover plates is aseptic.

5. A wall structure as defined in claim 1, further comprising neoprene material received in the U-shaped channel of said side spacing elements outside said groove.

6. A wall structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said second anchoring means are adjustable for various height differences between the upper end of the vertical posts and the ceiling structure.

7. A wall structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said bottom wall of said plinth means is transversely convex when not deflected to receive the lower edges of said panel units.

8. A wall structure especially adapted for hospital operating rooms comprising:

a. a plurality of adjacent panel units, each unit including:

i. a pair of sheets of rigid material arranged in spaced relationship so as to form a chamber therebetween;

ii. top, bottom and side spacing elements disposed between the inner marginal edges of the sheets and extending completely around the periphery thereof to maintain the sheets in spaced relationship; each said side spacing element defining a U-shaped opened channel having centrally therein a longitudinal groove defined by a pair of spaced flange walls extending lengthwise of said channel, the opposing faces of said flange walls having thereon lengthwise corrugations;

iii. a hardened foam plastic material received in said chamber;

b. a series of vertical posts disposed between successive panel units for securing said units thereto, each said post defining a U-shaped opened channel with the opposite side walls thereof in covering arrangement over the respective open sides of the U- shaped channels of the side spacing elements of two adjacent panel units, said side walls having a series of holes vertically spaced therealong,

c. fastening means extending through said holes and engagedly received in said groove for securing said panel units to said vertical posts;

d. first anchoring means for securing said posts to the floor structure of said rooms and second anchoring means for securing said posts to the ceiling structure of said rooms;

e. resilient plinth means defining a longitudinal channel of U-shaped cross-section receiving therein the outer lower marginal edges of said sheets and the lower part of said vertical posts; said resilient plinth means including opposite upstanding walls inwardly urged toward each other due to the resiliency therein thereby providing an abutting pressure on said outer lower marginal edges of said sheets when received between said upstanding walls;

f. said top and bottom spacing elements define U- shaped opened channels, the open side of which facing respectively the ceiling and floor structures of said rooms;

g. the U-shaped channel of said resilient plint means includes a central recess in the bottom wall thereof; a longitudinal iron bar being received in said recess; and means for securing said bar and said resilient plinth means to the floor structure of the room.

9. A wall structure as defined in claim 8 wherein said bottom wall of said plinth means is transversely convex when not deflected to receive the lower edges of said panel units. 

1. A wall structure especially adapted for hospital operating rooms comprising: a. a plurality of adjacent panel units, each unit including: i. a pair of sheets of rigid material arranged in spaced relationship so as to form a chamber therebetween; ii. top, bottom and side spacing elements disposed between the inner marginal edges of the sheets and extending completely around the periphery thereof to maintain the sheets in spaced relationship; each said side spacing element defining a Ushaped opened channel having centrally therein a longitudinal groove defined by a pair of spaced flange walls extending lengthwise of said channel, the opposing faces of said flange walls having thereon lengthwise corrugations; iii. a hardened foaM plastic material received in said chamber; b. a series of vertical posts disposed between successive panel units for securing said units thereto, each said post defining a U-shaped opened channel with the opposite side walls thereof in covering arrangements over the respective open sides of the U-shaped channels of the side spacing elements of two adjacent panel units, said side walls having a series of holes vertically spaced therealong; c. fastening means extending through said holes and engagedly received in said groove for securing said panel units to said vertical posts; d. first anchoring means for securing said posts to the floor structure of said rooms and second anchoring means for securing said posts to the ceiling structure of said rooms; e. resilient plinth means defining a longitudinal channel of Ushaped cross-section receiving therein the outer lower marginal edges of said sheets and the lower part of said vertical posts; the U-shaped channel of said resilient plinth means including a central recess in the bottom wall thereof; a longitudinal bar received in said recess; said first anchoring means further securing said bar and said resilient plinth means to the floor structure of the room; said resilient plinth means including opposite upstanding walls inwardly urged toward each other due to the resiliency therein thereby providing an abutting pressure on said outer lower marginal edges of said sheets when received between said upstanding walls.
 2. A wall structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said top and bottom spacing elements define U-shaped opened channels, the open side of which facing respectively the ceiling and floor structures of said rooms.
 3. A wall structure as defined in claim 1, further comprising a pair of elongated cover plates extending over the open side and the opposite side thereto of said vertical posts so as to bridge said sheets over said vertical posts.
 4. A wall structure as defined in claim 3, wherein the material of said sheets and said cover plates is aseptic.
 5. A wall structure as defined in claim 1, further comprising neoprene material received in the U-shaped channel of said side spacing elements outside said groove.
 6. A wall structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said second anchoring means are adjustable for various height differences between the upper end of the vertical posts and the ceiling structure.
 7. A wall structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said bottom wall of said plinth means is transversely convex when not deflected to receive the lower edges of said panel units.
 8. A wall structure especially adapted for hospital operating rooms comprising: a. a plurality of adjacent panel units, each unit including: i. a pair of sheets of rigid material arranged in spaced relationship so as to form a chamber therebetween; ii. top, bottom and side spacing elements disposed between the inner marginal edges of the sheets and extending completely around the periphery thereof to maintain the sheets in spaced relationship; each said side spacing element defining a U-shaped opened channel having centrally therein a longitudinal groove defined by a pair of spaced flange walls extending lengthwise of said channel, the opposing faces of said flange walls having thereon lengthwise corrugations; iii. a hardened foam plastic material received in said chamber; b. a series of vertical posts disposed between successive panel units for securing said units thereto, each said post defining a U-shaped opened channel with the opposite side walls thereof in covering arrangement over the respective open sides of the U-shaped channels of the side spacing elements of two adjacent panel units, said side walls having a series of holes vertically spaced therealong, c. fastening means extending through said holes and engagedly received in said groove for securing said panel units to said vertical posts; d. first anchoring means for securing said posts to the floor structure of said rooms and second anchoring means for securing said posts to the ceiling structure of said rooms; e. resilient plinth means defining a longitudinal channel of U-shaped cross-section receiving therein the outer lower marginal edges of said sheets and the lower part of said vertical posts; said resilient plinth means including opposite upstanding walls inwardly urged toward each other due to the resiliency therein thereby providing an abutting pressure on said outer lower marginal edges of said sheets when received between said upstanding walls; f. said top and bottom spacing elements define U-shaped opened channels, the open side of which facing respectively the ceiling and floor structures of said rooms; g. the U-shaped channel of said resilient plint means includes a central recess in the bottom wall thereof; a longitudinal iron bar being received in said recess; and means for securing said bar and said resilient plinth means to the floor structure of the room.
 9. A wall structure as defined in claim 8 wherein said bottom wall of said plinth means is transversely convex when not deflected to receive the lower edges of said panel units. 